Reunited After All These Years
by Cadyn Brewer-Sidelia Miller
Summary: Ash has a secret. A secret that had her and her parents leave Denver, Texas and go to Kansas City. Years pass and when her old high school in Texas wants her to go to the reunion she risks her secret being exposed... What is the secret? And what does Ish have to do with it?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"That's it guardians." Ish says as they had a tied up Wild Card with his robots. "The Rusherz wil take care of them; let's get back to the game."

As they flew away Ash was having a mental freak out.

...

When they got back to their homes football stadium they saw two of the community colleges football teams getting ready to play each other. "I can wait! Ligers versus Eagles," Troy says. "I wonder who's going to win." Troy says.

"I think it'll be the Eagles, what do you think Ash?" Ish says. "Ash you okay?"

Snapping her head up from looking at the ground she says that she needs to go home.

...

Back at the Reynolds household Ash up to her room completely freaked out. She had taken five or six tests and all came back the same:

Positive.

She didn't know what to do. She and Ish were still to young for this.

Ish! She thinks. Will he be there? Will he accept this new responsibility? Her mind races with questions.

"Ash," she heard t knock on the door. "May I come?" The sixteen year old gave the go ahead and her stepmother, Linda, came in and sat next to Ash on her bed.

"What's wrong? You've been acting odd lately."

Not wanting to keep it a secret from her Ash told Linda that she was pregnant and Ish was the father.

"I don't know what to do! I mean I don't want to burden Ish with a child but at the same time...I don't know. I'm not even sure if I should be a guardian."

"Would you like to talk to R.Z?"

...

"I understand dilemma Ash; but I'll need to relocate your family." The holographic man says. "Does Ish know?"

"No, and I'd appreciate it if he doesn't. He already has a lot to worry about I don't need to add on to it."

R.Z nods then informs Ash that her family will be moving to Kansas City. As Ash and her parents left the guardians headquarters and back home to pack. They were leaving at midnight tonight.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

At six the next morning the nine guardians entered their headquarters. "Any luck?" Ricky asks his leader/ friend as he (Ish) started to look frustrated.

"No, and it's starting to worry me." Ever since they got up Ish has been trying to contact his girlfriend but it was if the signal was blocked. Ish really wanted to know what was going on with Ash. It's been about a month and half since she started acting weird.

Eating more than usual, worried about going on missions, etc. When he told his parents something dawned on them and when they asked him if he wanted to know Ish told his parents that he didn't, he had feeling the answer wasn't going to be good.

"Good morning, guardians." R.Z greets. Almost everyone gives him morning greetings as well. "Ish? Is something the matter?"

Knowing he was caught since he hadn't given a Good morning he told R.Z that he hasn't been able to contact Ash. His heart broke into pieces when R.Z told them that the only reason why he wanted to see them early was to tell them that Ash had moved to Kansas City and would no longer be a guardian.

As they all stared at him in silence and Ish took the opportunity to go leave the building. He didn't want to believe that Ash was gone. He wanted to believe that maybe someday she would return.

...

In Kansas City Ash and her parents were settling into their new home. They had decided that Ash would start school the following Monday so she would get enough time to explore her new city and enough sleep.

Before they left Texas her parents had taken her to the doctors and found out that she was due in only eight months. (They also found out that she was having a son and daughter.) Ash wasn't sure how she was going to take to being a teenage/ single parent but she figured that with her parents support she would be able to make it through anything.

*Eight months later*

A loud scream could be heard throughout the hospital as a sixteen year old girl was giving birth. She wished that Ish was there, mostly due to the fact that she was mentally screaming at him for impregnating her even if she was also apart of it. She really wanted Ish to see his children.

But he wasn't. And she understood that it was her fault that Ish and her children may never meet but she had to protect her children from the enemies of the guardians and with Sudden Death to worry about she couldn't have Ish worrying about him, her and their children.

"Have you picked any names?" The nurse asks a very tired Ash after delivery her daughter.

"Yes. Ryan Ish Reynolds-Taylor for my son and Sara-Angela Christian Reynolds-Taylor for my daughter." After giving putting the names on the birth certificates she also put Ish down as the father. She had a feeling that it would come up someday.

"Would you like to hold them?" Ash nods and the nurse hands her her children. Her daughter had auburn hair, fair skin, and green eyes. A spitting image of her mother. The same could be said about Ryan looking like Ish.

"Hey Ash," Linda says as she and Mr. Reynolds enter Ash's hospital room. They each took a baby and saw how each one resembled one of their parents. They knew that looking at Ryan would be hard since he looked exactly like Ish.

"Guys, I don't mean to be rude but can you see if you can take the children home? I really need some shut-eye." As Ash closes her eyes her parents look at each and grin. She was going to find out how hard it was being a new mother.

...

A/N: So I decided this will be the sequel to my other NFL Rush Zone fic. Anyway til next time.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

*Nine years later*

A woman no more than twenty-five was cleaning her home while her son was in the backyard playing football with some of his friends from school (just like his father he was QB) and his sister was inside trying to practice her dancing, cheerleading, and gymnastics.

"S.A what have I said about trying to do all three sports in the house?"

"Sorry Mom. I just really want to get first place in that dance competition." Ash sighed heavily. Her daughter was really determined something that she had inherited from both of her parents.

"Sara, why don't you go play with your brother? I think the other team needs a Quarterback." The young nine year old scoffed. She and Ryan already did a lot of things together; doing sports wasn't one of them.

Ash wished her children would get along. "Hey, Mom." Ryan says coming in. "The guys had to leave so I decided to come in."

"Ryan can you check the mail? Angela go start dinner." The twins did as they were told. Sara-Angela was making spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread when Ryan came in and handed the mail over to their mother.

As she sorted through the mail (mostly bills and junk that she didn't need) one piece caught her attention. She stared at it as if she couldn't believe it. She put the mail on the coffee table and went to the kitchen to set the table.

...

"Mom, are you okay?" Sara-Angelia asks as Ash serves her children ice cream sundaes (something they don't normally get unless their mother has a secret surprise for them).

"Yes, just tired that's all. Wash the dishes when your done. I'm going to bed early."

As Ash walked up the stairs the twins had decided to look through the mail. They saw nothing out of the ordinary until they saw something from Texas. The siblings looked at each other before Ryan read it.

"Dear Ms. Reynolds, your former high school, Denver High, would like to invite you to our eight year reunion (even if you did not graduate) we would like you to come. Please contact Tua Tupola to R.S.V.P." When he finished he and Sara-Angela stared at each other.

Their mothers former high school wanted her at a reunion even though she didn't graduate from them? But why was their Mom shaken? Did she know this Tua? Were they sweethearts? Was...

Was Tua their father?

The twins stared at each other. There were many thoughts that were running through their minds about their mother and Tua; but Ryan didn't buy that Tua was their father. There was a picture of him and their mother always told him that he looked just like their father and as he stared at the photo of Tua he knew that he wasn't their father.

"Go up to bed sis, I think I'm going to stay up for a little longer."

"'Kay. Night."

When Ryan saw that his sister went to her room he called the number that was on the reunion invite.

"Hello?" A voice says.

"Hello, is this Tua Tupola? I'm Ash Reynolds son and she wanted me to call to R.S.V.P. for the reunion."

"Really? Because I'm an old friend of your mothers and I don't think that she'd allow her child to call for such an important event. She doesn't know, does she?"

"No. But please allow us to come-"

"Us?"

"Yeah, my Mom, sister and I. My Mom has no idea that I'm doing this; just tickets for the three of us."

"Alright. But the reunion is in two days, you might want to leave early tomorrow morning if your going to make it in time. And don't worry about where you guys will be staying, I'll take care of that."

"Thank you so much!"

"No problem."

As they hung up Ryan went upstairs and told his sister. They each started packing for the trip. Clothes, pajamas, and anything else that they might need (they didn't know how long they'd be gone so they only packed for a week).

They were going to pack for their Mom later that night so when they told her in the morning she would already be packed and ready to go.

...

In her room Ash was staring at her NFLR, she never thought that she'd ever see her old team again. It's not like she hasn't wanted to but she always feared about what they would say or do if they found out about her children. Especially since Ish and her children have no clue that the other/s are alive.

Tears formed in her eyes. She longed to see the day that her children would see their father. That she would actually have a family. Without a conscious thought she turned it on.

She had a feeling that her children had called and R.S. for the three of them. So in a few days time her children would finally meet their father.

...

Back in Denver Tua had just gotten done with his phone conversation with Ash's son when he saw Troy and Ricky pestering Ish to go out on a blind date. Ish, like usual, was telling them no.

"She's been gone for nine years," Ricky says. "You have to face facts: You may never see Ash again."

Two years after Ash left Troy, who later convinced Ricky, thought that it was time that Ish moved on from Ash; he was reluctant at first but then went for it. But it didn't work as he would come back and say that the date went fine but he didn't feel anything.

Ricky and Troy have been trying to get Ish to move on but it didn't work. Tua wanted to intervene but figured it wasn't his place. Plus he figured that he might let it slip that it was Ash's son that called and not her.

He knew that if he let it slip that Ash had children Ish would be broken. He wouldn't be the same anymore (it took almost a year after she left for the team to get their leader back to normal-ish).

So he went to R.Z. "Is she coming?"

"Yes. Though it was her son that confirmed not her."

R.Z grimaced. He didn't know how many children Ash had given birth to and he had hoped that Ash's son was Ish's and not someone else's. He also hoped that the plan worked. If Ish was going to get closer on his and Ash's relationship it would be to speak to her himself.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

In a dark bunker Sudden Death was watching the main television that shows Ash and her children. He knew both were hers and one belonged to a fellow guardian (when he saw the son he compared him against Ish and saw that it was a match as was the daughter). He was unsure if the leader knew about the children.

But he wasn't going to let that stop him. He wanted revenge on a certain used-to-be-the-only-female guardian. And he knew just how to do it.

...

When Ash pulled into the Denver's old mall parking lot she saw Tua waiting by the entrance. He seems more dignified now. He wore kaki shorts, t-shirts, and sandals (though she knew that he was now the principle of their old school).

"Tua!" She calls. He looks up and a smile comes across his face.

"Ash! It's been too long!" As the two reunited friends hug a girl who seems to be a year younger than the twins comes out from behind Tua's legs. She had her fathers tan skin tone, curly hair (only black) and hazel eyes. She had a black t-shirt, capries, and sneakers.

Sara-Angela just seemed board while the girl just stared at Ryan making him uncomfortable. "Ash, this mine and Hillary's daughter, Samantha. Samantha this is-"

"Ryan and Sara-Angela." She says. "Daddy, can we show them our home now?" The twins stared at her as though they were worried about that. While they were asleep Ash had called Tua to find out where she was going to be sleeping while the reunion was going on and he said that she and her children would be spending the time at his home.

As Tua and Samantha went to their car Ash and her children went to theirs to follow Tua back to his house.

...

Pulling into the driveway Ash counted a total of five cars parked in the street, specifically all in front of Tua's house, which looked like it had three bedrooms and a full bath. As she stepped out of the and started walking towards the front door a knot started to form in Ash's stomach.

What Ish do when he saw her? Saw the children? Ask about the Dad? Be nice? Many questions like that and similar ones ran through her head as she, Tua, and the children entered the house.

"Hillary, we're home." Tua calls to his wife. To be honest the idea of Hillary and Tua being married was a strange concept for Ash. When she was a teenager she surely would've thought that he and Justine would've gotten together and not Tua and Hillary.

When she looked around Ash saw all of the other guardians except for Ish. She wasn't sure weither to feel relieved or disappointed. She saw Aly and Marty with a baby girl on the couch. Justine and Troy were chasing two boys around the house trying to get them to put shirts on. Ricky and Alex were (according to Tua) helping Hillary.

One of the boys resembled Marty to the t, so she figured that was his son and the other was Troy's and Justine's as he had Troy's tan/fair skin, mothers brown hair, and dark brown eyes. Hillary came in from the kitchen carrying a plate of toasted ravioli.

"Hi honey," she gives her husband a hug and pulls away to hug Ash. "Ash! It's been so long! We've missed you!"

As Hillary says that the others stop what their doing, including the children, and stare at the auburn haired woman and her two children. It made Ash uncomfortable with all of their eyes on her.

"...Ash?" Ricky says as he and Alex appear from the kitchen. This is the part she has feared all of these years (only Ish was apart of her fears) that they would yell at her for leaving, for not telling them in person, for...

For leaving the guardians.

But instead of yelling the others embraced her in one giant group hug. "You're not mad?" She wonders.

As they all pulled away they looked at the children. "I'm just shooting in the dark here but you found out you were pregnant and left because a.) you wouldn't have been able to help us for a while and b.) you weren't sure how Ish would react. Right?" Justine says.

Ish just stares at her in surprise. "Ish is a Dad?" Troy wonders. Ash nods and explains tells them to go play with the other children while they (the adults) all catch up. As the kids go into the backyard to play (apparently Ricky and Alex also had a pair of boy and girl twins, only the daughter resembles Ricky and the don resembles Alex) the former friends all sat on the couches and Ash caught them up.

...

"Two months after I gave birth a guy asked me to the school dance; my parents told me to go so I'm not stuck missing out on the fun things while being a teenage Mom. I told me yes but I didn't have fun at the dance. I just kept wishing you guys were there or that I was back here.

"In fact I only danced when songs like Let Her Go and She Don't Love You came on. After the dance he asked me on a date and I told him no. I still like Ish and the fact that we didn't technically break-up still haunts me." She says.

Everyone else didn't notice when she used incorrect grammar like how she she said "I still like Ish" and not liked and used "haunts" and not haunted. They all took that as a sign that she still loves Ish even after all these years.

As Ash excuses herself to use the restroom as soon as she was out of ear shot they all started to plot on how to get Ish and Ash back together at the reunion tomorrow. In fact all of them except for Ish knew what Ash was attending the reunion. So when they saw each other tomorrow (and hopefully not avoiding each other) would be a good chance for them to talk.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The day of the reunion was finally here. Ash has been dreading it. She wasn't sure what to say to Ish, that is if she even saw him. How was she supposed to tell about the children?

"Hey Ish...listen when I left nine years ago it was because I pregnant." Or "Ish I never told you this because I wasn't sure how'd you react but I gave birth nine years ago and the children are yours."

Alex, Hillary, Justine, and their daughters were helping Ash get ready to face her (possibly ex (she ran away they didn't technically break-up.)) boyfriend again. She was nervous. She wasn't even sure if she could tell Ish.

What if he had someone else, and they had children? Would he even believe her? Questions like that and similar were running through her head as she was preparing to see him again.

After an hour all of them were ready and they headed off towards the high school.

...

At the reunion Ash and Ish were the first people the other saw. Ish who was shocked and a lot of other emotions didn't know what to do. Ash was scared to face him. So both did what they could: Avoid each other.

The children, along with the other guardians, saw this and knew that they had to get them talking. So Ricky, Troy, and Tua were going to get Ish to the food table as Alex, Hillary, and Justine were doing the same to Ash.

Those two had to talk at some point so why not now?

As they got them to the table the six left and the (possibly) former couple stared at each other.

"Hey, Ash..." He says.

"Hey, Ish..." Both were nervous about seeing each other after nearly of a decade not seeing each other. "Look, Ish, there's something that I need to tell you..."

Ash was interrupted as the wall of the gym exploded and Sudden Death appeared from the smoke. The two were in shock not because of seeing their former enemy but because he had Ash's children (to which Ish began to get suspicious since her son looked a lot like he did when he was younger).

"Well, well, well, it looks like the two guardian parents of these two had no idea that I was here or that they tried to fight me."

Parents? Ish thinks.

He begins to piece it together; The way Ash just suddenly changed and left all of those years ago, how her son looks like him...

Smoke starts to fill the room and an evil laughter could be heard. Sudden Death used this diversion to leave along with the two children.

Maybe, the warlord thinks. That the children are the key to bringing down the guardians once and for all.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

When the smoke cleared Ish looked Ash with a hard glare.

"Why didn't you tell me?!" He says, his voice sipping with anger yet calm. "Why didn't you tell me that I was a father?! Why didn't you tell me about the children?!"

"I was scared." She replies. "You were the leader and with having to deal with Wild Card, Sudden Death, and Drop Kick...I just couldn't put a burden, like raising children, on your shoulders."

"Ash," he grabs her by her shoulders. "it wouldn't have been a burden. If you had just told me then we could've worked something out and not have to go through, well what we are right now."

Ash was hit with a wave of stupidity and guilt. She knew it was right to have informed Ish about the children. Stupidity for thinking that he would've abandoned her without talking first.

"Nice to see you two are having a good reunion, but where are Ryan and Sara-Angela?" Ricky wonders. The reunited couple look at each other and realize that the others may have been outside and may not have seen what happened.

"We...need to talk." Ish tells the others.

...

"Sudden Death has them?!" Troy screeches. Ish just finished telling them what happened. The African-American male had his arms around the auburn woman who looked emotionally worn; that's why he had told the others and not her.

Ish can only bring himself to nod. He just found out that he's a father and now his kids are being held captive by a psychotic warlord.

"How do we find them?" Ricky asks.

"We'll visit R.Z in the morning. Right now we all need some rest." Ish wasn't big on the fact that they'd have to wait until the next day to try and find Sara-Angela and Ryan but every was exhausted. And he knew better than to take his team into battle without actually having the strength to fight.

They all got into their cars and left for their homes except for Ash who was going home with Ish. She was going to tell him everything about their children, no matter how tired she was.

...

"Where are we?!" Sara-Angela screams. After being taken away from the reunion she woke up in a dark room. From what she could tell it had no doors or windows. Just a giant television screen.

"It doesn't matter," the screen turns on to reveal Sudden Death. "If your parents don't show up in a few days you and your brother will die." As the warlord laughs the screen fades to black.

The young athlete turned to her brother. He had been unconscious since she woke up. She tried everything to wake him up but nothing worked and she was starting to get scared.

Sure they didn't always get along but they always had each others backs. If he didn't wake up soon she might be an only child. Instead of letting worry and fear take a hold of her she tried to feel for a way out like a loose tile or maybe something hollow in one of the walls.

But she didn't come up with anything. Returning to her brother the young nine year old began to wonder if she and her brother would ever get out of the room they're trapped in.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The next morning the guardians went to their former headquarters. Ash was still asleep as having her children away was taking its toll on her. R.Z turns on and was glad to see the guardians, all of them.

"R.Z," Ish starts but doesn't finish.

"I know Ish, I've already located Sara-Angela and Ryan." The holographic man says. He pulls a map up with a red dot that shows where Sudden Death is holding the young athletes.

As the guardians leave they leave their children with Wild Card's father and go to get their friends children.

...

Ish and Ash were in the back of the vehicle they were on the way to the building that their children were. Ash was telling him of their children, she had only told him of the sports they participate in as she was really tired last night.

"So...my name, or rather my nickname, is Ryan's middle name?"

"Yes. I wanted to name him Ish junior but the more I thought about it the more it seemed weird that I was calling someone, even if they are our child, Ish and that person wasn't you; but I still wanted you to be apart of him so...yeah..."

Ish nods. He even admits that he's had nightmares over the years. He really couldn't make them out since he really didn't think much of it; until last night's that is.

*Ish's nightmare*

Sara-Angela and Ryan were just babies again. Newborns infact. He could hear gun shots outside and Ash was coming down the stairs.

"Ash, we have to hide!" He screams.

"No, you have to hide. Keep the children safe..."

"What about-"

"I'm going out there; I'm gonna fight, even if I don't come back."

"What! But-" she cuts him off with a kiss. It was passionate and sad. As if both knew it would be their last.

"Go downstairs and hide. When you don't hear anymore gunfire take the children and run. Go somewhere safe and raise our children." Before she opens the front door to leave she turns back to Ish and tells him I love you then leaves.

Ish isn't sure what happens next as he is now outside with rubble everywhere on the street. He sees a giant piece of rock on top of a young woman with fair skin and auburn hair who wore jeans, sneakers, and a shirt that had long black sleeves and a white middle.

He recognized the young woman all to well. It was Ash.

He runs over and pushes the rock off of her and stares at her. He shakes her but she doesn't stir. S.A and Ryan who were now their current age try and come over but Ish stops them before they could see. Soon he was sitting on a porch swing in a tuxedo mourning.

"Daddy," S.A asks. "Where's mommy?"

She looks so much like Ash it hurts. He wants to tell her that Ash will come back but at the same time he didn't want to lie to her either.

*End dream*

...

"We're here!" Tua says from the driver's seat. As they get out Ash was nervous. She has a bad feeling that something bad was about to happen but didn't know what.

...

Inside their cell Sara-Angela finally felt something hollow within the walls and kicked it open. "Ryan," she says once she's inside. "Come on."

Her brother has a look of worry but gives her his hands so she could pull him in. After all he didn't want to wait around for their parents and the other guardians to show up and then something bad happen.

They start to crawl through the space unsure of where to go.

...

Inside there were only six ways to go. Good thing that the six original guardians were there (Hillary, Justine, and Amanda weren't feeling well so they stayed with R.Z and the other children). Ish wasn't happy about separating from Ash since they had just been reunited but didn't see any other choice.

They all went their separate ways unaware of what is to come.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Sara-Angela and Ryan were crawling through the vents and the young male was furious. He and his sister finally got to meet their father and then are kidnapped and now they're crawling through a vent in the hopes that their parents and all of the other former guardians know where they are and are on their way or is already in the building and looking for them.

His sister stops and before he can ask why she sh's him. They hear a voice. A familiar voice. Tua's voice. The auburn girl takes out her laser pen (she snuck it from her mom) and creates a hole.

"Tua!" She exclaims as she jumps out of it. She lands on the older male who - once he comes to the realization on what was happening - smiles.

"S.A! Oh, man are your parents ever going to be glad...but uh where's Ryan?"

"Ryan come down!" The double first name girl tells her brother.

"I can't; the vents are moving like a labyrinth - ah!"

"Ryan! Tua-"

Tua tells her that there's nothing that they can do. If the vents change then there's a one-fifth possibility that Ryan will end up with one of the other guardians and a two-fifth chance that he'll end up with one of their parents.

Turning back from where Tua came the two had decided that when they get back to the spot that the adults split up they would contact the others and hopefully one of them will have Ryan.

...

Ryan felt vent sick with all the moving they had done. He was just glad that he grabbed the laser pen before the vents started to move and it fell with him having no way out.

He makes a hole as his sister had previously done (because the one she made had closed up) and went down. Ryan lands on something - rather someone - with a hard thud.

"Ow." The person moans. Ryan looks down and grins.

"Dad!" He exclaims.

"Ry-Ryan? What were you doing in the vent?"

"Ryan? What are you doing with that _fake_?" Turning the father and son see a man opposite of them. Both in shock. The man standing before them was Ish.

...

To say that Ryan was shock was an understatement. He was angry at Sudden Death for making a clone of his dad now he can't tell who is the real one and who is the fake and was confused on who was his real father.

"Ryan, get behind me." The one he had embraces says.

"Don't! He's a fake and if you do he'll kill me then you then your mother and sister!" The one on Ryan's left says.

"Okay whoever is my real father can answer this: Did my mom leave when she found out that she was pregnant?"

"Yes!" Both Ish's says.

Dang it! That's one of the many things he was sure that Sudden Death didn't know the answer to. After twenty minutes of asking the questions that he was sure that his father would know (both Ish's getting the right answers) Ryan was stuck on what to do.

The real Ish contacts the others sending them their location so they could see the situation for themselves as all the real Ish could tell them was that it was weird and very hard to describe.

...

When the others come they see Ryan first and when Ash asks what the issue is he points and they all see the two Ish's.

"Which one's the real one?" The young mother asks her son.

"I don't know. I've asked them every question that I was sure one of them would trip up on but so far they've both gotten every answer right." He informs her.

"I am." The two Ish's say in union when Ash asks which one of them is the real one. She mentally slaps herself for asking a dumb question that she knew what would happen as she asked it.


End file.
